Rajasthan: ₹5 crore medicines seized from dry well in Bharatpur
Synopsis
Investigators found 274 cartons of prescription medicines — worth ₹5 crore — hidden inside a dry well in Rajasthan's Bharatpur district, sparking a cross-state probe into whether the drugs were stolen and stashed for expiry-date tampering before being resold. The trail has already led to raids and an FIR in Agra.
Key Takeaways
Drug Control Department, Rajasthan seized approximately ₹5 crore worth of medicines from a dry well in Khatnawali village, Bharatpur on 30 September .
Around 274 cartons of drugs — including Losar-50, Janumet, Ketorol-M, Allegra-M and Jalra — were recovered, primarily used to treat heart disease, diabetes and allergies.
Investigators suspect the medicines may have been stolen and concealed to facilitate expiry date tampering before illegal resale.
10 samples collected by Drug Control Officer Komudi Singh have been sent for laboratory quality testing.
Related medicines were also seized in Agra ; an FIR was registered at Malpura Police Station, Agra , and a separate FIR is being pursued in Rajasthan.
The case involves cross-state coordination with Drug Controller, Uttar Pradesh and Drug Inspector, Agra .
Rajasthan's Drug Control Department recovered medicines worth approximately ₹5 crore from a dry well in Khatnawali village, Bayana tehsil, Bharatpur district, in a major enforcement operation carried out on Wednesday, 30 September. Officials said the haul — around 274 cartons of pharmaceutical drugs — was discovered following a tip-off, raising serious concerns about an organised attempt to conceal and potentially reintroduce medicines into the market illegally.
How the Operation Unfolded
According to Principal Secretary (Medical and Health) Gayatri Rathore, the department acted swiftly on intelligence inputs. A team of Drug Control Officers, led by the Assistant Drug Controller, Bharatpur, conducted the search with support from local police and villagers. The medicines were found stashed inside a dry well and were seized under prescribed regulations.
Drug Control Officer (Bharatpur) Komudi Singh collected 10 samples from the site for laboratory quality testing, a standard step before formal legal proceedings are initiated.
What Was Recovered
The seized stock primarily comprised medicines used to treat heart disease, diabetes, and allergies. Specific drugs recovered included Losar-50, Janumet, Ketorol-M, Allegra-M, and Jalra — several of which are widely prescribed chronic-care medications with significant street value.
Drug Control Commissioner Avichal Chaturvedi described the concealment of such a large quantity of medicines in a dry well as 'a serious and suspicious matter' on prima facie grounds. He confirmed a detailed investigation was underway to verify the authenticity and quality of the drugs, along with their batch numbers, manufacturing and expiry dates, source, and full supply chain.
Suspected Motive: Expiry Date Tampering
Investigators are probing whether the medicines were illicitly removed or stolen from a manufacturer, depot, or carrying and forwarding (C&F) agent, then concealed with the intent to alter expiry dates and reintroduce them into the market for sale. This is a pattern seen in pharmaceutical diversion cases across India, where near-expiry or expired drugs are relabelled and sold through informal channels.
Drug Controller Ajay Phatak confirmed that the investigation covers the manufacturer, the entire supply chain, and all establishments concerned, given the seriousness of the matter.
Cross-State Trail: Agra FIR and UP Coordination
The case has already crossed state lines. Information relating to the seizure was shared with the Drug Controller, Uttar Pradesh, the Drug Inspector, Agra, and the respective pharmaceutical manufacturers. As a follow-up, officials also seized related medicines in Agra and registered a First Information Report (FIR) against persons involved at Malpura Police Station, Agra. Authorities in Rajasthan are also taking steps to register a separate FIR against those implicated in the Bharatpur seizure.
The department is currently obtaining distribution and supply records and conducting batch-wise verification at the manufacturer level. Officials stated that if the investigation establishes the medicines to be spurious, adulterated, tampered with, or intended for illegal sale, strict action will be taken under the relevant legal provisions.
What Comes Next
Laboratory test results on the 10 samples collected will be a critical determinant of the charges framed. The cross-state coordination with Uttar Pradesh authorities suggests investigators believe the supply chain may extend well beyond Rajasthan. With FIRs registered and batch-level verification underway, the case is expected to widen before it narrows.
Point of View
With Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh already linked. The specific drugs recovered — chronic-care medications for heart disease and diabetes — are high-value, high-demand products, making them prime targets for expiry-date fraud. What regulators must now establish is where in the supply chain the breach occurred: manufacturer, depot, or C&F agent. India's pharmaceutical supply chain has long-standing audit gaps at the last mile, and without mandatory track-and-trace at the batch level, cases like this will keep surfacing in dry wells rather than in regulatory databases.
NationPress
1 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Where were the medicines seized in Rajasthan found?
The medicines were recovered from a dry well in Khatnawali village, Bayana tehsil, Bharatpur district, Rajasthan. Around 274 cartons worth approximately ₹5 crore were found following a tip-off received by the Drug Control Department.
What types of medicines were seized from the dry well?
The seized stock included medicines used to treat heart disease, diabetes, and allergies. Specific drugs recovered were Losar-50, Janumet, Ketorol-M, Allegra-M, and Jalra — all widely prescribed chronic-care medications.
Why is the concealment of medicines in a dry well considered suspicious?
Drug Control Commissioner Avichal Chaturvedi said the concealment appeared, prima facie, to be serious and suspicious. Investigators are probing whether the medicines were stolen and hidden to allow tampering with expiry dates before being illegally reintroduced into the market for sale.
Has an FIR been registered in connection with the Bharatpur drug seizure?
Yes. An FIR has been registered at Malpura Police Station in Agra following related seizures there, and Rajasthan authorities are also taking steps to register a separate FIR against persons involved in the Bharatpur case.
What happens next in the investigation?
Ten samples collected from the site are being tested in a laboratory for quality verification. Batch-wise verification is underway at the manufacturer level, and the investigation spans the full supply chain. If the drugs are found to be spurious, adulterated, or tampered with, strict legal action will follow under applicable provisions.
